For orthopedic and other surgery, the surgeon utilizes a reciprocating saw which is attached to the end of a shaft which is reciprocated by the rotation of an air turbine. The shaft is supported in a hand held casing and the saw blade is attached to the end of the shaft exteriorly of the casing. Various means have been utilized for connecting the saw blade to the end of the reciprocating shaft. For instance, the blade can have a depression which receives a spring biased ball detent carried in a pocket. In another attachment, the blade is inserted into a socket and secured therein by a set screw which requires a wrench to fasten the saw in the end of the reciprocating arm.
Usually, the blade is heat treated for strength after the teeth have been cut and the heat treatment must be done before any fastening member is attached to the blade since, in most cases, the fastening member would not withstand the heat treatment. With most connections, it is necessary to utilize two hands to release a blade because of the fact that either a wrench or some other type of relative movement must be imparted to the fastening section. Blades attached to the reciprocating arm can be of various lengths and various thicknesses as required for different operations.